Has anyone out there used a diskless industrial running Windows CE? I am curious about what limitations are placed on VB or C++ development for CE. I know it is hardware specific. An OPC server developer explained that it would be far more difficult for him to access a PCI card than ISA, and that this would be even more true on a MIPS versus and intel x86 architecture CPU.

Is it getting close to where it out to be as far as providing a reliable solid state hardware solution? Do developers have a difficult task to get an app to run well on it?

Dale

Honda Eq Staff

 

We've been working with single board computers running windows CE and have had many headaches with it, but version 3.0 is looking pretty promising.

However, VB is more like VBScript and if you use C++. you'll find it runs only a subset of the Win32 API.

But if the board vendor provides boards with 3.0 and gives you the SDK for their board, the development tools (Visual C++, but known as eVT -
embedded visual toolkit) are free from Microsoft. (Does that sound like the Microsoft you know?)

 

Dale, A Company called HOST Engineering www.hosteng.com has a product called a WINPLC it is a windows CE base PLC controller that works with Automationdirect 205 series PLCS www.automationdirect.com. Host Engineering will provide a SDK and limited support for developing a C++ or VB based control system.

 

We have a new product named WINCON8000 ( http://www.lt-automation.com/Winceplcs.htm ) which works under Windows CE 4.0 and can be programmed either in VB, VC, C++ or Function blocks. There is also a SCADA software option.

It´s a PLC and a PC at the same time since it has Video, Mouse and keyboard ports, besides the RS485 and RS232 ports.

It's a good idea to think if you better go using a control software instead of having to deal with electronic proprietary hardware.

If you want to discuss this contact me at

Orlando Charria
Latin tech inc
[email protected]
888 832 7568